2 firetrucks lost in crash saved lives (Stratford, CT)

[Bnechis 3,961]

http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Officials-2-firetrucks-lost-in-crash-saved-lives-945656.php

STRATFORD ---- The Stratford Fire Department is reeling after the sudden loss of two of its fire engines in a crash on Interstate 95 in which one tractor-trailer slammed into Engine 1, and another into Engine 5.

The two crashes occurred almost simultaneously, officials said.

Lampart said the two engines......were parked in a "staggered" configuration on the highway, in order to protect the lives of the firefighters, police officers, EMTs and other first responders to the original car crash. In this positioning of the trucks, one is parked in the right-hand lane and the other in the center lane, in order to both direct traffic around the mishap, and also to provide protection in event an incompetent driver happens upon the scene.

"The system worked," Lampart said. "Even though we lost two trucks, we would have been looking at six or seven fatalities and or very serious injuries had those trucks not been in place."

People, Lets be careful out there

[turk182 37]

Is there a standard for the proper way to block and create a safe work zone? I have seen it done many ways. The article says one engine was in one lane and the second engine was in another lane. This would leave both engines exposed to a crash. If one engine blocked two lanes by parking diagonally across them wouldn't you accomplish the same thing and only wreck one engine?

[ny10570 745]

Not necessarily. Accident on the shoulder or lane with little to no shoulder. One vehicle behind the accident and the other along side and both trucks are still exposed. Even if you can cover the entire back of the accident with one behicle, the second should be along side to prevent cars from careening off the far side of the road or those lovely drivers that pull on the wheel as they look over there shoulder at the passing accident.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Stratford had placed Into service last year a Smeal Sirius pumper as Engine 1 and Engine 5 was a 2000 Pierce Saber rescue pumper. Both operated out of headquarters on Main Street. SFD had just gotten over a bunch of apparatus problems and not having a good set of spares, they are now using their two spares and the area departments offered assistance in using their spares if needed.

Engines 1 & 5 did thier job. I don't think it would have mattered on thief placement as both TT's lost their traction while trying to make a lane change to avoid the accident. Let's be thankful that no one was seriously hurt.

[DMA327 12]

At this point who cares if two engines were demolished or one engine...the fact of the matter is that prior proper planning and a safe response policy of mulitple apparatus to a highway incident saved the lives of many first responders!

Prior proper planning prevents piss poor production

Nice job SFD